You will be asked to provide your Express Scripts ID number and email address.

How can I find out if my medication is on the Navitus formulary and is a preferred medication?

To find out if your medication is on the 2018 formulary, you can view and print the formulary from benefits.hshs.org.
Eastern Wisconsin colleagues can also find the 2018 formulary on www.deancare.com/ASO, and Western Wisconsin colleagues will be able to do so beginning January 1, 2018.

To view the Navitus formulary, you will need to log in to and create your account on www.deancare.com/ASO.

Once you click the Navitus logo, you can confirm if your current prescriptions are covered on the Navitus formulary, and at which tier.

If you are a Western Wisconsin colleague, you may find that the drugs included on Navitus’ formulary drug list may be different from your current formulary.

Preferred medications on the formulary will be indicated by an “FB” (brand name) or “FG” (generic).

Non-preferred medications will be indicated by an “NP”.

Medications that are not covered will be indicated by an “NC”.

Note: Contraceptives are only covered by the HSHS Healthy Plan if they are medically necessary for a purpose other than to prevent conception.

If you are a Western Wisconsin colleague and you are taking a medically-necessary contraceptive, you will be able to continue your prescription through March 2018, but your provider will need to submit a request to Navitus to continue this prescription on a medically-necessary basis during this time.

All Wisconsin colleagues can call Navitus Customer Care toll-free at 1-866-333-2757 for information about the formulary or other assistance.

How do I access my Flexible Spending Account (FSA) information?

After your FSA enrollment information is reported to Tri-Star by HSHS, your account information is available through the Tri-Star website at www.tri-starsystems.com.
To access your account you will need to click on “My Account” to be brought to the secure login page. Once there, you will type your email address for the user name in the box. Next, you need to type in your Tri-Star password & click Login.

If you have never enrolled previously or you are having trouble logging in you will need to contact Tri-Star customer service at 1-800-727-0182, option #1 to provide a valid email address. Once you have provided the customer service representative your email address you will need to initiate the password reset process at the Tri-Star login page. You can do this by clicking on the link “I forgot my Password or I never received one”. The next screen that will be populated will ask you for your email address and once you provide that you can click Submit. You should receive an e-mail from Tri-Star regarding your password. If the email address provided matches what Tri-Star has on file, a time-sensitive link will be sent to that email address instructing you on how to reset your password. Following the link contained in the email you will be required to answer security questions before being allowed access to your account.

Once you have accessed your account, you can:

E-file or view claims for either or both of your Health Care Reimbursement Account and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account.

View details of FSA claims paid, such as date of payment, payment type, and amount.

View your account summary which provides a balance of the funds that are available.

Set up or change direct deposit information for FSA reimbursement purposes.

Enter the Benny Card system site to check approval status of card use, card payments awaiting documentation from you and other card information.

For a more in-depth guide to learn or review how to use Tri-Star’s system you can access the How-To Guide by clicking here.

How can I change my beneficiary for life insurance?

Beneficiary information for life insurance and accidental death insurance is maintained by Tri-Star Systems. Beneficiary information is not stored in PeopleSoft (Colleague Self Service).

You may review and update your beneficiary information during the annual open enrollment period or click here to review and update your beneficiary information anytime during the year.

Once you log in, click the “Beneficiaries” link on the left hand side to modify your beneficiary designation.

Can I continue my long term disability insurance (LTD) coverage if I retire?

Because the purpose of LTD insurance is to provide money to you in the event you cannot work due to being disabled, the LTD insurance coverage ends when you retire.

Can I use PTO to supplement short term disability (STD) benefits so that I can receive 100% of my pa

Yes, if you have PTO available, you may choose to use some of your PTO hours, so that in combination with your STD benefit, you receive 100% of your base pay.

For example, if you receive STD benefits for a week and you are regularly scheduled (budgeted) to work 40 hours a week, the STD plan would pay 70% of pay; that equates to 28 hours. You could use 12 hours of PTO that week to bring your pay to 100%.

To use PTO to supplement STD benefits, simply complete the Request to Use PTO with Short Term Disability form and submit to your local Human Resources department as soon as possible.

Do I have to participate in the 403b retirement saving plan?

To encourage early investing and simplify the 403(b) Plan enrollment process, all eligible HSHS colleagues hired or rehired with HSHS on or after July 1, 2014 are enrolled automatically at a 4% of pay contribution level after 60 days of employment.

Unless you choose otherwise, your contribution level will continue to increase by 1% each year until you’re eventually contributing 8% of your pay.

These automatic contributions will be invested in the Vanguard Target Retirement Funds based on your date of birth, unless you choose different investment options.

You can increase, decrease, or stop your contributions at any time.

How do I start my HSHS pension? When should I apply for my HSHS pension?

If you are an active colleague within Hospital Sisters Health System at the time you wish to retire:

You will also need to notify your manager and local HR department of your intent to retire at least 2 weeks (if hourly) or 4 weeks (if salary) prior to ending employment.

The HSHS Benefits Department will calculate your pension benefit and send you a personalized pension election form to elect your monthly pension benefit once final payroll has been completed.

Pension payments are issued the first business day of each month with the exception of the first payment, which depends on when the pension election forms are returned to HSHS. Retroactive payments are issued on the 3rd or 4th week of the corresponding month. Direct deposit is required for all pension distributions.

Note: If you are planning on returning to work for an HSHS Affiliate, you cannot be rehired until two full pay periods have passed from your employment termination date. If you are rehired at an HSHS Affiliate, you must work less than 1,000 hours per year (including PTO) or HSHS is required to suspend you pension benefit per Plan rules.

If you are no longer employed at HSHS at the time you wish to retire, please contact the HSHS Colleague Service Center to get the process started.

How do I qualify for the HSHS Pension Cash Balance Plan?

You earn a year of service for both vesting and benefit accrual purposes for each year you are paid for at least 1,000 hours. This includes PTO and short term disability.

You qualify to receive a benefit from the HSHS Pension Cash Balance Plan (i.e., you are fully vested) after you have completed three years of credited service.

What vision discount programs are available to benefit eligible colleagues?

1. For those colleagues enrolled in both the HSHS Healthy Plan administered by Aetna and the Cigna Dental Plan?Answer: Aetna Vision or Cigna Healthy Rewards. Present your Aetna medical card and your Cigna dental card at time of service to determine best discount.

2. For those colleagues enrolled in both the HSHS Healthy Plan administered by Dean Health and the Cigna Dental Plan?Answer: Cigna Healthy Rewards. Present your Cigna dental card at time of service for applicable discount.

3. For those colleagues enrolled in the Cigna Dental Plan only?Answer: Cigna Healthy Rewards. Present your Cigna dental card at time of service for applicable discount.

Upon reaching a PTO balance of two times the annual accrual rate, the colleague stops accumulating PTO hours until some PTO is used.

The following chart shows PTO accrual rates based on your years of service.

Years of Service

Maximum Annual Accrual*

PTO Accrued per Hour

Maximum Carryover

0-4 years

184 hours/23 days

.08847

368 hours

5-10 years

224 hours/28 days

.10770

448 hours

11 years

232 hours/29 days

.11154

464 hours

12 years

240 hours/30 days

.11539

480 hours

13 years

248 hours/31 days

.11924

496 hours

14 years

256 hours/32 days

.12308

512 hours

15 years

264 hours/33 days

.12693

528 hours

*based on first 2080 hours paid

How do I stop getting emails from PerkSpot?

You are able to opt out of email communications either by clicking “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of PerkSpot emails, or by going into “My Account” once you have completed registration and updating your email preferences.

Do I need an ID card for my vision insurance through VSP?

There’s no ID card needed.

If you’d like a card as a reference, you can print one on www.vsp.com.

At your appointment, simply tell the provider you have VSP insurance.

What is the HSHS Discount Program?

The HSHS Discount Program is a one-stop shop for exclusive discounts at some of your favorite merchants in travel, computers, tickets and more!
HSHS benefit eligible colleagues will now have access to thousands of exclusive discounts.
Visit hshs.perkspot.com to register.

While it is important that you register using your six digit HSHS colleague ID number, you may use any email address you prefer.

After you complete the registration process, your access to great discounts and savings will begin!

To find more information about the program, please contact PerkSpot customer service at cs@perkspot.com or (866) 606-6057.

Note: Newly hired colleagues will need to wait for their benefits to become effective after two full pay periods prior to enrolling in PerkSpot.

What can I use PTO for?

The purpose of PTO is to give you maximum flexibility in scheduling time away from work.

You may use PTO for illness, vacation, holidays, family emergencies, preventive health and dental care, personal business, etc.

You should schedule your use of PTO in advance whenever possible.

How does the LiveWELL program work? What are the rewards/incentives for participating in the program

The LiveWELL wellness program is designed to empower you to live a life that’s healthy, active and rewarding, so you can be a better role model for our patients and set a higher standard for the future of health care at HSHS.

Each year, you will have the opportunity to complete challenges to earn points and receive cash incentives. You will earn point and rewards for taking steps to improve your physical, emotional, financial and work well-being:

If 60% of the eligible participants at an HSHS local affiliate achieve Level 2 (2,500 points), Hospital Sisters Health System will make a $1,000 donation to the local Friends Foundation on behalf of that affiliate’s colleagues.

• For colleagues serving within the System Services Centers, Information Technology and Services and HSHS Medical Group:

If 60% of the eligible participants at an HSHS local affiliate achieve Level 2 (2,500 points), Hospital Sisters Health System will make a $1,000 donation to the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach on behalf of that affiliate’s colleagues.

• For all HSHS Colleagues:

If 60% of all eligible participants across the HSHS System achieve Level 2 (2,500 points), Hospital Sisters Health System will make an additional $2,000 donation to Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach on behalf of that affiliate’s colleagues.

• For all HSHS Affiliates:

All colleagues who achieve Level 3 (5,000 points) will be recognized across the health system.

What is a contribution credit?

A contribution credit is a percentage of your eligible pay and is the amount HSHS adds to your cash balance account for each calendar year in which you are paid for at least 1,000 hours.

Your contribution credit percentage depends on your years of service as of the end of the current year.

The following chart shows how contribution credit percentages for each year are determined based on your service as of December 31 of the current year.

If your years of service are…

Your contribution credit provided by HSHS will be…

1-5

3% of pay

6-10

4% of pay

11-15

5% of pay

16-20

6% of pay

21+

7% of pay

How can I learn more about contributing to a 403(b) Plan and the investment options available to me?

Access the Transamerica web page at hshs.trsretire.com to review all the information provided to assist you in making your investment decisions.

You may also contact Transamerica at 800-755-5801 and ask to speak to an investment representative.

You can also research the funds on your own or with your financial advisor.

How is the HSHS pension benefit paid?

There are two basic forms of HSHS pension benefit payment, depending on your marital status:

If you are single, the basic form of payment is a monthly income for life, with no survivor benefits.

If you are married, the basic payment method is a Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity. Under this form, you will receive a reduced monthly benefit for life. After your death, your spouse will receive benefits for life equal to half the amount you were receiving. Married persons can also elect the basic benefit for single persons if they have spousal consent.

If you do not want one of the basic forms of payment, you may choose one of the optional methods. If you are married, your spouse must consent to your selecting an optional form of payment. His or her consent must be in writing and be witnessed by a notary public. Options available to you are:

A monthly income for life, with guaranteed payments up to 10 years. Any guaranteed payments remaining at your death will be paid to your beneficiary. If no guaranteed payments remain, there will be no survivor benefit.

A joint and survivor annuity that pays you a reduced monthly income for life, with either 50 percent, 75 percent, or 100 percent of that amount continuing to your spouse or other designated beneficiary after your death.

How do I file a request/claim for short term disability or EIB benefits?

The claim submission process for STD is telephonic.

Contact Unum at 866-295-3007 and provide the requested information to start your claim.

The STD policy # is 92707.

Unum will send a packet of information to your home address.

Follow the directions on each form contained in the packet.

If you are unable to report for work, you must also notify your supervisor as soon as possible, prior to the start of your shift.

How do I file a life insurance claim?

Contact the HSHS Colleague Service Center at 855-FYI-HSHS (855-394-4747) to initiate your claim. Please have the following information available prior to calling:

Colleague name and ID number

Name of deceased and relationship to colleague

Deceased’s date of birth, date of death, and social security number

The Colleague Service Center will report this information to Securian who will then contact the colleague or beneficiary.

How do I get started with prescription drug mail service through Costco (Navitus)?

You will need to register with Costco by visiting www.pharmacy.costco.com or by calling 1-800-607-6861 before you can fill and manage your mail order prescriptions.

When registering, you should have your Dean Health Plan ID card, and have your doctor prescribe a 90-day prescription plus refills for up to one year (if applicable).

If you have any questions about your pharmacy benefits, call Navitus Customer Care at 1-866-333-2757.

If you are an Eastern Wisconsin colleague, beginning December 1, 2017, you can contact Costco at 1-800-607-6861 with mail order questions or to confirm the transfer of your information.

If you are a Western Wisconsin colleague, you will not be able to see your transferred prescriptions until January 1, 2018.

How do I file a longer term disability (LTD) insurance?

You should begin the LTD claim process in the fifth month of your disability.

Contact Unum at 866-295-3007 who will advise you of the information necessary for submitting a claim.

UNUM will also supply you with any required claim forms.

How much can I contribute to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)?

The minimum contribution amount is $5 per biweekly pay period.

The maximum contribution for the dependent care (DCRA) FSA is $5,000 per year. If you file your federal income tax as “married filing separately,” the maximum amount that you may deposit into the dependent care FSA is $2,500 per year.

The maximum contribution amount for the health care (HCRA) FSA is $2,600 for 2018.

What if I don't use mail service for my maintenance medications?

You may fill your maintenance prescription two times at a retail pharmacy.

After a maintenance prescription is filled twice at a retail pharmacy, you must use mail service for subsequent refills to be covered by the HSHS Healthy Plan's prescription drug coverage.

For help determining which network service area you are in, see the 2018 Flexplan Benefits Guide or go to the HSHS Benefits Website at benefits.hshs.org to view the list of zip codes.

If you have a dependent who lives outside the state of Wisconsin, such as a child attending college, you are required to register your dependent with Dean Health Plan (1-888-895-1188) in order to have the national Multiplan network apply for your dependent’s HSHS Healthy Plan coverage.

How is a claim for removal of impacted wisdom teeth handled?

In the event you and/or your covered dependents have both health insurance and dental insurance coverage, expenses for the extraction (removal) or excision (surgical removal) of impacted teeth are covered first under the HSHS Healthy Plan (health insurance).

Ask that your oral surgeon or dentist first submit claims for this service to Aetna (or Dean Health Plan if you reside in Eastern Wisconsin).

Once your claim for the removal of impacted teeth has been processed by Aetna (or Dean Health Plan if you reside in Eastern Wisconsin), your oral surgeon or dentist’s office should then submit any expenses not paid by the health insurance plan to Cigna for processing by the dental insurance plan.

How many dental cleanings are covered per year and how often can I go?

The HSHS Dental Insurance Plan provides coverage for up to two exams and up to two cleanings in a calendar year.

You are not required to wait six months between dental cleanings.

If I do not enroll by my enrollment deadline, what coverage will I have?

If you are a new hire and you do not enroll by your enrollment deadline, you will have the following coverage by default:

Basic Life and AD&D insurance

Short-Term Disability Coverage

Long-Term Disability Coverage

Basic Medical Plan for yourself only with after-tax deductions for your portion of the cost of this coverage. This coverage will remain in effect for the rest of the calendar year. You cannot choose new options during the year unless you have a qualifying change in status.

If I do not enroll by my enrollment deadline, what coverage will I have?

If you are a new hire and you do not enroll by your enrollment deadline, you will have the following coverage by default:

Basic Life and AD&D insurance

Short-Term Disability Coverage

Long-Term Disability Coverage

Basic Medical Plan for yourself only with after-tax deductions for your portion of the cost of this coverage. This coverage will remain in effect for the rest of the calendar year. You cannot choose new options during the year unless you have a qualifying change in status.

What is a preferred drug list or formulary? How can I find out if my medication is on this list?

A preferred drug list or formulary is a list of approved drugs for which the HSHS Healthy Plan provides preferred benefits. The preferred drug list is compiled by an independent group of doctors and pharmacists selected by Express Scripts and includes both conventional and specialty medications. Express Scripts reviews nearly 300 drug classes each year to approve medications that are both clinically appropriate and less costly for the HSHS Healthy Plan and its members.

When you receive up to a 30-day supply of medication that is not on the Express Scripts preferred drug list from a retail pharmacy, you will pay an additional $15 copay, or an additional $45 copay for up to a 90-day supply under the mail service option.

To find out if your medication is on the list, you can call 1-800-698-3757 or use the Formulary look up feature on www.express-scripts.com.

What are the specialty medications that need to be filled through Lumicera?

Specialty medications are generally prescribed for people with complex or ongoing medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, hepatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. These high cost medications typically also have one or more of the following characteristics: injected or infused, but some may be taken by mouth; have unique storage or shipment requirements; require additional education and support from a health care professional; or usually not stocked at retail pharmacies.

Remember that your initial prescription for a specialty drug may be filled at a retail pharmacy. After that, you must use Lumicera or an HSHS pharmacy in order for subsequent refills to be covered. Lumicera can deliver the specialty medication and supplies to your home, doctor’s office or any other location. They also provide access to pharmacists and nurses who can answer your questions about your specialty drugs.

Note: For Western Wisconsin colleagues, most prescriptions for current specialty medications will automatically transfer to Lumicera.

See the 2018 Flexplan Benefits Guide for more details.

What if I do not use all of the money in my flexible spending account (FSA) before the deadline? Do

IRS regulations are very specific about the use of the Flexible Spending Accounts.

You must use all of the money that you have deposited before the year ends for the dependent care FSA and by March 15th of the following year for the health care FSA.

These time limits apply based on the date of service, not the date billed.

Any money that is left over in your account(s) is not refundable to you and is forfeited per IRS regulation.

Because of this forfeiture rule, you should carefully plan the amount that you wish to contribute into each account.

90 days before the end of the Plan Year, you will receive a detailed statement of your Flexplan Spending Account(s) from Tri-Star Systems.

Each time you submit a claim for reimbursement, you will receive detailed information regarding the status of your account(s).

What are the Basic Life Insurance and Supplemental Life Insurance benefits and who is eligible?

HSHS provides basic life insurance with built-in accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage at no cost to you.

You automatically receive 1 ½ times your annual salary up to a maximum of $50,000. No evidence of insurability is required.

Basic life insurance is provided to all active colleagues of an HSHS facility who are regularly scheduled/budgeted to work 32 or more hours per biweekly pay period.

Temporary or leased colleagues are not eligible for life insurance.

Benefit eligible colleagues may purchase additional supplemental life insurance through Securian for yourself, your spouse, and/or your dependent children who are under age 26.

Supplemental life insurance for you is one to eight times your annual salary up to a maximum of $1 million.

Supplemental life insurance for your spouse is in $5,000 increments up to a maximum of $50,000.

Note: As required by law, you cannot carry more life insurance on your spouse than you carry for yourself (Basic life and supplemental life combined).

Supplemental life insurance for your eligible dependent children is in $2,500 increments up to a maximum of $10,000.

When you select supplemental life insurance for your eligible dependent children, each child is covered for the same amount.

Note: Your first eligible newborn child will automatically be covered for $2,500 for 30 days from live birth, unless or until you enroll for a different amount of dependent child life insurance. If you do not enroll within 30 days, such coverage will automatically terminate.

How long are LTD benefits paid?

The duration of benefits is based on your age when you become disabled.

Your LTD benefits are payable for the period during which you continue to meet the definition of disability.

If your disability occurs before age 60, benefits will be paid to a maximum of age 65.

If you become disabled at or after age 60, benefits would be paid according to a benefit duration schedule found in the LTD insurance summary plan description booklet.

How long can I receive short term disability (STD) benefits?

The maximum period that you may receive STD benefits for the same period of disability is 26 weeks.

The Short Term Disability Income Protection Plan will not pay more than 26 weeks of STD benefits for a single period of disability.

If you have not yet set up an account with Transamerica, click on “New User” in the upper right hand corner and complete the information requested in “Create Your Profile”. Also, be sure to click on “Beneficiaries” to document your beneficiary information. If you do not designate a beneficiary, the monies in your account would be distributed according to the Plan’s default beneficiary rules.

Click on the “Manage” tab and select “Contributions” to review and change the current deduction amount.

Click on “Next” to verify information is correct.

Click on “Submit” to save information.

Is my pension benefit safe?

Yes! Your pension benefit is safe.

Hospital Sisters Health System has several checks and balances in place to safeguard your accrued pension benefit.

Each year your employer deposits funds into a pension plan trust account to cover the pension benefits that have accrued for its employees during the year.

Each year independent auditors check the books to be sure the funds have been deposited and are being safeguarded.

HSHS also has pension actuaries who tell us how much money must be deposited each year to provide the benefits that have been accrued and promised.

What is the HSHS Pension Cash Balance Plan based on?

Your Cash Balance Plan benefit will be expressed in the form of a cash balance account, showing your benefit as a lump sum dollar amount as it grows. The account will grow each year through two types of contributions from HSHS:

Contribution credits equal to 3% to 7% of your eligible pay, depending on your years of service (credits increase as your service increases). Eligible pay is the pay shown on your W-2 statement plus any pre-tax contributions you make for benefits, including the 403(b) plan; subject to IRS limits, $275,000 in 2018.

Interest credits based on the 10-year Treasury rate (reset annually), with a minimum of 3% and a maximum of 6%.

Contribution Credits + Interest Credits = Your Account Balance

How do I locate a participating VSP provider?

The VSP network has more than 86,000 locations nationwide and includes vision care providers who participate in the Prevea network. To find a VSP Vision Plan provider, visit www.vsp.com.

Remember, the VSP network includes Prevea vision providers for the HSHS VSP option.

Is my privacy protected in the HSHS LiveWELL program?

Yes! Your personal health information is important and should be kept confidential. That is why Hospital Sisters Health System and Limeade have a strict policy in place to protect your privacy rights. Your individual information is held in strict confidence between you and Limeade. The only information Hospital Sisters Health System can receive is collective data about its population as a whole, not any individual health information. Your privacy is ensured, in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, which prohibits anyone at your company from receiving your personal health information without your permission. For more information on the Privacy Policy, please login at http://hshs.limeade.com.

Who do I contact if I’m unable to log in to PerkSpot?

You can contact PerkSpot Customer Services either by email at cs@perkspot.com or by phone at (866) 606-6057.

What happens to my PTO time if I transfer to another HSHS facility?

If you transfer to another HSHS facility, you have the option of transferring all of your accumulated PTO hours (and EIB hours if applicable) to the receiving organization or you may receive payment for your accumulated PTO and transfer only the EIB hours if applicable, or a combination of some PTO hours paid out and some transferred.

What holidays are included in PTO?

All regular colleagues budgeted to work at least 32 hours per pay are eligible for holidays. You will use accrued PTO on any holiday you would normally be assigned to work. HSHS observes the following holidays:

New Year’s Day (January 1st)

Easter (for the purpose of Holiday Premium only)

Memorial Day (the last Monday in May)

Independence Day (July 4th)

Labor Day (the 1st Monday in September)

Thanksgiving Day (the 4th Thursday in November)

Christmas Day (December 25th - begins 3:00 pm Christmas Eve)

For areas that are normally closed on Saturday and Sunday, legal holidays falling on Saturday will be observed on Friday and legal holidays falling on Sunday will be observed on Monday.
For areas open on weekends, the legal holiday will be observed on the actual holiday. Non-exempt colleagues working on any of these holidays will be compensated at a premium for the number of hours worked on that holiday (11:00pm – 11:00pm).

Click here to see a chart that highlights some commonly used services and shows the vision plan’s benefits.

What is the HSHS Pension Cash Balance Plan?

The HSHS Pension Cash Balance Plan applies to colleagues hired or rehired on or after July 1, 2014.

The Cash Balance Plan is funded entirely by HSHS.

The Cash Balance Plan grows steadily throughout your career with HSHS and forms the foundation of the retirement income you build.

It rewards your service with higher contributions as your years of service increase.

If you leave employment with HSHS:

You can take your vested Cash Balance Benefit with you as a single payment (lump sum).

Or, you can delay payment until a later date.

You can also elect to receive your benefit as a monthly lifetime annuity starting at any time (at any age) following your termination of employment.

What is the HSHS pension benefit based on?

Your pension benefit is based on three factors:

Credited Service - Your credited service is the number of calendar years in which you are paid for 1,000 hours of service. This corresponds to the wages reported annually on your W-2 form. You receive partial years of credited service for your first and last calendar years of employment if you have not earned the full 1,000 hours.

Final Average Pay - This is the average of your earnings for the five highest-paid consecutive completed calendar years of service within the last 15 completed calendar years of service. Your earnings are your W-2 earnings, plus any salary reduction contributions to the 403b retirement savings plan and any pre-tax deductions to the HSHS Flexplan.

Excess Pay - Excess pay is the portion of your final average pay that exceeds 30% of the Social Security taxable wage base in the previous calendar year.

If I was hired or rehired on or after July 1, 2014, what contributions are made to my 403(b) Plan account?

Your 403(b) Plan account grows through:

Your contributions- up to 100% of your pay up to IRS limits ($18,500 in 2018, or $24,500 if age 50 or older)

HSHS matching contributions- 50 cents for every dollar you contribute up to 4% of your pay (subject to IRS limits, $275,000 in 2018)

If you have not yet set up an account with Transamerica, click on “New User” in the upper right hand corner and complete the information requested in “Create Your Profile”. Also, be sure to click on “Beneficiaries” to document your beneficiary information. If you do not designate a beneficiary, the monies in your account would be distributed according to the Plan’s default beneficiary rules.

Click on the “Manage” tab and select “Contributions” to review deduction amount. Change the deduction amount if you wish to do so for future deductions.

To change your overall investment mix, click on “Current Allocations” in the “Manage” tab and choose the investment option(s) to which your contributions should be directed.

Click on “Next” to verify information is correct.

Click on “Submit” to save information.

Note: Depending on the investment option, some require no changes for 30-60 days or a fee will be charged. You should research this online at Transamerica before moving to another investment option. You can also contact a Transamerica representative at 800-755-5801.

What is short term disability (STD) benefit and who is eligible?

The Short Term Disability Income Protection Plan (STD) is sponsored by HSHS to replace a portion of your income (70%) in the event you are unable to work due to an illness or injury.

The STD benefit does not provide benefits for occupational (work related) illness or injury or to care for an ill or injured family member.

You are eligible for STD benefits if you are a regular active colleague of an HSHS facility and regularly scheduled/budgeted to work 32 or more hours per biweekly pay period.

Temporary or leased colleagues are not eligible for STD benefits.

Coverage in the Short Term Disability Income Protection Plan will begin after you complete 90 days of active employment.

Is the HSHS Pension an offset to long term disability (LTD) insurance?

No. Your HSHS Pension benefit is not an offset to your LTD benefit.

What is life insurance portability and/or conversion? What are the differences between the two?

Portability allows you to continue your Basic Life, Supplemental Group Term Life (SGTL) insurance, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance for yourself and any covered family members when coverage is lost due to retirement, termination of employment, layoff, non-medical leave, or loss of eligibility. You pay the total cost of premiums directly to Securian (formerly known as Minnesota Life). You may continue your total amount of insurance coverage that was in effect on the date your coverage ended, up to a maximum of $500,000. If you are age 65 or older, the amount you may “port” will be 65% of the amount of insurance in force on the date your coverage ended. Portability ends at age 70.

Conversion allows you to continue your Basic and/or Supplemental Group Term Life (SGTL) insurance coverage as an individual insurance policy for yourself only when coverage is lost due to retirement, termination of employment, layoff, leave of absence (including medical leave), or loss of eligibility. You pay the total cost of premiums directly to Securian (formerly known as Minnesota Life). There is no age reduction of coverage at age 65 and there is no age limitation for the conversion option.

The basic differences between portability and conversion of life insurance are:

Portability has an age limit of 70. There is no age limit with conversion.

Portability has a reduction in coverage at age 65. There is no reduction of coverage based on age with conversion.

Portability is coverage under the group term life contract. Conversion is a new individual life insurance policy.

Portability is not allowed for a medical leave of absence (disability). Conversion does not have this restriction.

Portability allows for continuing life insurance coverage for family members. Conversion is limited to coverage for the colleague only.

Coverage cannot be increased with the portability option. Coverage may be increased with evidence of insurability (EOI) with the conversion option.

Coverage can be decreased if you choose either portability or conversion.

What is a flexible spending account (FSA)?

A flexible spending account (FSA) allows you to automatically set aside money from your pay into an account to be used specifically for expenses related to health care or dependent care on a pre-tax basis. This can help you make your health care and/or dependent care dollars go farther.

There are two flexible spending accounts available to you; the Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA), and the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA).

The HCRA or health care FSA allows you to be reimbursed for health care expenses that are not paid by your health, dental or vision insurance—expenses such as your deductibles, amounts not paid by the insurance co-payment, eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, etc. You may be reimbursed for health care expenses for yourself, your spouse, and any allowable dependents.

The DCRA or dependent care FSA allows you to be reimbursed for the care of a dependent so that you are able to work. If you are married, both you and your spouse must be working for dependent care expenses to be reimbursable. Expenses must be for a dependent that you claim on your federal tax return who is either under age 13 or physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself (for example, an elderly parent). The dependent must also spend at least eight hours per day in your home. For this reason, nursing home care does not qualify as a reimbursable expense.

What about emergency room care?

If your condition is a true emergency, you will have a $100 copayment for emergency services. This is in addition to your deductible and coinsurance for the medical plan option you select.

If you utilize the emergency room for a non-emergency condition, you will have a $300 copayment in addition to your deductible and coinsurance for the medical plan option you select.

For True Medical Emergencies:

Medical Emergency and Emergency Accident facility charges are covered at the HSHS benefit level, whether you go to an HSHS or another facility, regardless of whether that facility participates in the Aetna Other network.

Likewise, Medical Emergency and Emergency Accident Specialist Physician charges are covered at the HSHS Specialist Physician benefit level, regardless of whether the Specialist is an HSHS Preferred Specialist or participates in the Aetna Other network.

Medical Emergency and Emergency Accident PCP Physician charges are covered at the HSHS/Aetna Specialist Physician benefit level, if the PCP is an Aetna Network PCP or an Out-of-Network PCP.

You may fill your maintenance prescription two times at a retail pharmacy.

After a maintenance prescription is filled twice at a retail pharmacy, you must use mail service for subsequent refills to be covered by the HSHS Healthy Plan's prescription drug coverage.

What is the advantage of using mail service for prescription maintenance drugs?

There are three advantages:

You are very likely to save money on your prescriptions. While the plan options pay the same percentage of the cost, the overall cost is generally lower with mail order because the mail service program can purchase medications in very large quantities. And, there is no dispensing fee included in the cost of mail service prescriptions, while a dispensing fee is included in each 30-day retail prescription.

You have the convenience of home delivery. Medications are delivered directly to your home or another address you specify within 5 days after your order is received, with no charge for standard delivery.

Maintenance medications will not be covered after the third fill at a retail pharmacy. They are covered when filled through the Plan’s mail service pharmacy or an HSHS pharmacy (if there is one located in your area).

If my doctor recommends that I receive care form a non-network provider, will that care be covered b

Services received from a non-network provider will be covered only if you first obtain a referral from your network provider and prior authorization from Dean Health Plan. Your network provider will need to submit a referral to Dean Health Plan to request coverage for treatment you receive from a provider who does not participate in your assigned network. If HealthEOS is your primary network, you will need a referral if the provider does not participate in either the HSHS/Prevea360 or HealthEOS networks.

Your network provider or Dean Health Plan may limit the number of visits, type of service or length of time for receiving services from a non-network provider. If you have questions about the referral process, contact Dean Health Plan at 888-895-1188.

Is orthodontia a covered expense by the dental insurance plan and how much is covered?

The high option of the HSHS Dental Insurance Plan includes coverage for orthodontia services.

Under the high option:

Orthodontia services are covered at 50% after deductible with a lifetime maximum of $1,500 per covered member.

This lifetime maximum does not apply towards your yearly maximum benefits for all other dental services under this option.

Provides for a preliminary study which includes x-rays, diagnostic costs and a treatment plan.

The first month of active treatment and retention appliances are also covered.

What is the difference between the Basic and High dental insurance options?

Basic Dental insurance option:

$50 per covered person annual deductible

$150 annual family deductible

$800 yearly maximum per person on dental treatment

The Basic option does not cover orthodontia

High Dental insurance option:

$25 per covered person annual deductible

$75 annual family deductible

$1,500 yearly maximum per person on dental treatment

The High option also covers orthodontia with an additional $25 per covered person deductible and a separate lifetime maximum of $1,500 for orthodontia services per person.

What about emergency room care?

If your condition is a true emergency, you will have a $100 copayment for emergency services. This is in addition to your deductible and coinsurance for the medical plan option you select.

If you utilize the emergency room for a non-emergency condition, you will have a $300 copayment in addition to your deductible and coinsurance for the medical plan option you select.

What is the difference between Facility and Professional Services?

The benefits provided by the HSHS Healthy Plan differ based on whether you obtain services from an HSHS Preferred provider, an Aetna Supplemental provider, an Other Aetna Network provider or an out-of-network provider.

The Plan’s benefits also differ depending on whether the service is provided and billed as a facility service or as a professional service.

Examples of Typical Facility and Professional Services

Inpatient hospital stay for surgery

Facility - Typically, the hospital (facility) will bill for room and board for the days you stay in the hospital, the operating room, the anesthesia you receive (but not the anesthesiologist’s services), any prescription drugs you receive while in the hospital, any supplies used for your care, blood tests and other lab work plus any imaging services, like x-rays or CAT scans you may have while in the hospital. All of these services are usually billed as facility services.

Professional - Physicians’ fees for your surgery, administration of anesthesia, consultations while you are in the hospital, or to read imaging results or analyze tissue samples are usually billed as professional services.

Outpatient surgery

Facility - The hospital or ambulatory surgical center will bill for the operating room, the anesthesia you receive, any supplies used for your care, blood tests and other lab work and any imaging services you receive. All of these services are usually billed as facility services.

Professional - Physicians’ fees for your surgery, administration of anesthesia, or to read imaging results or analyze tissue samples are usually billed as professional services.

Physician’s office visit
The majority of services that occur in a physician’s office are billed as professional services. These include the office visit itself, removal of lesions, biopsies and other procedures performed by your physician.

The exceptions are lab work, like blood tests, and strep tests which may be billed by your physician as professional services but often are billed as facility services by another party. Some physicians utilize providers like LabCorp, Quest or a hospital lab for processing lab work or may refer you to one of these providers.

EKGs and similar tests and imaging services received in a physician’s office may be billed by your physician as professional services or may be billed as facility services.

The HSHS Healthy Plan provides insurance coverage to over 23,000 covered members (colleagues and their families). In order to continue to provide this benefit, it’s imperative that HSHS control health care costs for its colleagues. Because HSHS is self-insured, the amount of money the System and colleagues pay toward our medical and pharmacy insurance must cover our claims costs. Prescription drug claims are a significant portion of health care costs and are projected to continue to rise.

HSHS examined many factors prior to its decision in 2011 to mandate mail service for maintenance medication. After exploring different options, it was determined that mail service was a cost-effective solution to controlling costs because it eliminates dispensing fees and the drug price is generally lower due to the bulk purchases. Mail service also offers the convenience of a 90-day supply of medication and home delivery at no cost to the member.

Mail service for maintenance prescription drugs has proven to be an effective cost control for the HSHS Healthy Plan and has played a significant part in the System by being able to keep the amount colleagues contribute to their health insurance below the national average.

What is the advantage for using mail service for prescription maintenance drugs?

There are three advantages:

You are very likely to save money on your prescriptions. While the plan options pay the same percentage of the cost, the overall cost is generally lower with mail order because the mail service program can purchase medications in very large quantities. And, there is no dispensing fee included in the cost of mail service prescriptions, while a dispensing fee is included in each 30-day retail prescription.

You have the convenience of home delivery. Medications are delivered directly to your home or another address you specify within 5 days after your order is received, with no charge for standard delivery.

Maintenance medications will not be covered after the third fill at a retail pharmacy. They are covered when filled through the Plan’s mail service pharmacy or an HSHS pharmacy (if there is one located in your area).

When is an Evidence of Insurability (EOI) form required for supplemental life insurance?

You must complete the EOI form if, as a newly eligible colleague, you elect coverage that exceeds three times your pay or $350,000 or elect coverage for your spouse that exceeds $20,000.

Securian will mail the EOI form(s) directly to you.

Elected coverage will become effective only if you complete and return the EOI form(s) to Securian who must approve the coverage before it can take effect.

If you are a late entrant (previously waived coverage) and want to elect coverage, increase your current coverage more than one level, or add or increase spouse coverage, you will be required to provide an Evidence of Insurability (EOI) form if you wish to make these changes during annual enrollment.

Securian will mail the EOI form(s) directly to you.

Elected coverage will become effective only if you complete and return the EOI form(s) to Securian who must approve the coverage increase before it can take effect.

Note:
Occasionally, during annual enrollment there may be an opportunity to choose employee supplemental life insurance coverage that is one level higher than your current coverage (e.g., from five to six times pay), you will not be required to provide Evidence of Insurability (EOI) to Securian. You will be notified of this opportunity when annual enrollment information is sent out.

Evidence of insurability (EOI) is not required to enroll dependent children in supplemental life insurance.

What is the Benny card? What is the advantage of using the Benny card?

The Benny card works like a debit card for eligible health care FSA expenses. Use it to pay for eligible expenses at the pharmacy, including Express Scripts or Navitus for maintenance medications, hospital or your doctor or other health care provider’s office. Through the card, you access money you have elected to set aside each pay period in your health care FSA.

When you pay for eligible health care expenses with the Benny card, you do not have to use your own money up front and then wait for reimbursement. The Benny card also gives you the ability to purchase qualified over-the-counter items such as nicotine gum or patches that are not eligible for reimbursement through manual claim submission.

It’s important to keep all documentation related to each expense you have in case the documentation is requested by the IRS or Tri-Star Systems to substantiate your claims.

Only use the Benny card for expenses that have not and will not be paid by the HSHS Healthy Plan, HSHS Dental Plan, and/or VSP Vision Plan by the option(s) in which you are enrolled.

What is Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance and how much is the benefit?

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance is insurance that provides 60% of your salary, up to a monthly maximum of $10,000, in the event you become disabled due to illness or injury.
This is money that you can use to pay your expenses while you are disabled and unable to work.

Note: The amount you receive from LTD insurance is adjusted if you receive benefits or disability income from other sources such as Social Security or Worker’s Compensation. However, regardless of the benefits you receive from other sources, the minimum benefit payable from LTD insurance is 10% of your gross benefit or $100, whichever is greater.

What is the elimination period for short term disability (STD) and can I use PTO during this time?

The elimination period is a period of continuous disability which must be satisfied before you are eligible to receive STD or EIB benefits.

The elimination period is seven (7) consecutive calendar days of absence and applies to both STD and EIB.

You are required to use PTO for any regularly scheduled work days that fall within these seven (7) consecutive calendar days of absence due to your disability, if you have PTO available.

See the Short Term Disability SPD for more information.

What is the HSHS Pension Plan? What is my cost for the plan?

The HSHS Pension Plan applies to colleagues hired prior to July 1, 2014 and is a defined benefit pension plan that provides you with a source of regular income during retirement.

You will be eligible to receive a pension benefit if you have at least five years of credited service when you retire or terminate employment, and you are at least age 55 and your employment ends.

The HSHS Pension Plan is free. There is no cost to you. Your employer makes all the contributions necessary to provide your retirement benefits.

Click on “New User” in the upper right hand corner and complete the information requested in “Set Up Your Account”.

Then, click on the “Manage” tab and select “Contributions”.

Input the flat amount or percentage amount to be deducted each pay period for the 403(b) Deferral and/or the Roth 403(b) Deferral.

Click on “Beneficiaries” to document your beneficiary information. If you do not designate a beneficiary, the monies in your account would be distributed according to the Plan’s default beneficiary rules.

Click on “Next” to verify information is correct.

Click on “Submit”.

When can I receive my Cash Balance Benefit?

If you are vested with three years of vesting service, you may receive your benefit when you terminate employment with HSHS.

Your Cash Balance Benefit can be paid as:

- A lump sum distribution of your account balance, or
- An equivalent monthly benefit, based on your account balance.

To receive your benefit as a lump sum, your spouse’s written consent is required.

You can also delay distribution to a later date.

To avoid taxes and penalties on a distribution, you can roll over your benefit to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or another qualified employer plan that allows rollovers.

Where can I find out what my Vision plan contributions will be?

The VSP Vision plan contributions can be found within the chart below.

LiveWELL is available to all HSHS benefit-eligible colleagues (scheduled/budgeted to work 16 or more hours per week) and their spouses and legally-domiciled adults (LDAs) enrolled in the HSHS Healthy Plan.

Colleagues who are regularly scheduled to work 32 hours or more per biweekly pay period are eligible for PTO.

Temporary and PRN colleagues are not eligible for the program.

How does the HSHS matching contribution work?

HSHS contributes 50 cents for every dollar you contribute on the first 4% of your eligible pay (pay shown on your W-2 statement plus any pre-tax contributions you make for benefits, including the 403(b) Plan; subject to IRS limits, $275,000 in 2018).

Contributions that are made in each calendar year in which you are paid for at least 1,000 hours are matched, as long as you are actively employed on December 31 of that year.

The maximum match you can receive in a calendar year is 2% of eligible pay.

HSHS matching contributions will also be made upon your retirement after age 55 or upon death or disability.

What is the deadline for filing flexible spending account (FSA) claims?

For both the health care FSA and dependent care FSA, you have until May 1st of the following year to file for reimbursement. If you do not, any money remaining in your FSA is forfeited per IRS regulation.

When does health insurance coverage begin?

Your coverage will begin on the first day of a pay period following two full pay periods of employment.

The two full pay period waiting period applies if you are a newly hired colleague or have transferred from a PRN position to a benefits eligible position.

Coverage for your dependents begins on the same day as your coverage as long as you have enrolled them for health insurance.

When does health insurance coverage begin?

Your coverage will begin on the first day of a pay period following two full pay periods of employment.

The two full pay period waiting period applies if you are a newly hired colleague or have transferred from a PRN position to a benefits eligible position.

Coverage for your dependents begins on the same day as your coverage as long as you have enrolled them for health insurance.

Why do I need to submit receipts or copies of claims or medical bills to Tri-Star?

The IRS requires proof that the expense was qualified for reimbursement through a health care FSA. Tri-Star Systems is our third party administrator for the Benny card and they will request documentation from you in order to substantiate your claim.

Is there a limit to the amount I can contribute to the 403b retirement savings plan in 2018?

For calendar year 2018, the maximum elective contributions are:

For a participant who is under age 50 as of the last day of the calendar year is $18,500.

For a participant who is age 50 or over as of the last day of the calendar year is $24,500.

What is a 403b retirement savings plan?

A 403b tax deferred annuity is a retirement savings program that allows eligible HSHS colleagues to set aside a portion of their income on a pre-tax basis.

It is also known as a Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA).

This reduces current federal income taxes, and, in most states, state income tax.

The 403b retirement plan is a convenient way to save for retirement through payroll deduction and offers flexible options for receiving your money when you retire.